Arc-welding electrode



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

am! 3. I'ENNINGTON AND -WANAHAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ARC-WELDING ELECTRODE.

in nmvm acaw am June as,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY R. PENNING- TON andERNEs'r lVANAMAKEa, citizens of the United States, residin at Chica o, 1n the county of Cook and state of 11 inois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-\Velding Electrodes, of which thefollowin is a specification. I

This invention re lates to im rovements 1n electrodes, and more particu arly to that class of electrodes used in electric arc welding operations and repair work. g D

As is well known, electrodes of this character are generally in the form of wire or small rods of metal of various com ositionsadepcnding upon the particular we d to be made or upon the composition of the piece or pieces being welded or repaired. Some of the most common materials of which these electrodes are made are mild steel, manganese steel, high carbon steel, nickel steel, tungsten steel, and bronze. Electrodes made from some of these mate rials may be successfully used bare, while it has been found impractical to weld with others without first coating the same with some chemical compound, such, for instance, as a compound containing silicate of soda and one or more carbonates. Electrodes of the first type are known in practice as bare metal electrodes, whereas those of the second type are known as coated electrodes. There is still another type of electrode which is used in electric arc welding, and in this type the metal is covered or coated with a relatlvely heavy coating or sheath of asbestos, or other fiuxing material. Electrodes of this latter type are known as flux-coated electrodes.

It is obviously impossible to distinguish at sight between manganese steel, for instance, and high carbon steel, or between the various other special metals above listed. Since an. electrode made of one of these materials is particularly adapted for use in certain classes of work, and unsuitable for use in other classes of work, it will be readily appreciated that it is quite difiicult for the operator or workman to know when he has the right electrode for the particular work in hand. It is just as difficult, if not more so, to distinguish between the coated electrodes as between the bare metal ones, for in substantially all cases the coatings are of the same general appearance. Although, the electrodes, when made up, can

Specification of Letters Patent.

1920. Serial No. 891,082.

be kept in separate compartments or pereels, andlabeled or otherwise identified, this is a more or less costly and troublesome procedure, and should the electrodes after separation become intermingled it would be impossible to distinguish one fromthe other.

With the above in view, it is the object of the present invention to devise a means or method of preparin these electrodes for the market, whereby t 1e various groups of electrodes of different composition may be readily distinguished one from the other and in such wise that the workmen, operators. or store-keepers after once becoming familiarized with the scheme will be able to distinguish, for instance, a nickel steel electrode from a tungsten steel electrode at a glance.

In carrying out the invention it is proposed to associate a distinguishing color with each of the electrodes of given composition, so that they may be readily distinguished from the various other electrodes of other compositions at a glance. For instance, a manganese steel electrode might be designated by associating therewith a red color, high carbon steel a purple color, nickel steel yellow, tungsten steel green, bronze blue, and mild steel white. Of course, various other color schemes might be employed, and the scheme may be carried much further so as to include electrodes composed of materials other than those herein listed. In the case of bare metal electrodes these various colors might be applied directly to the rods by dipping the same, or a portion thereof, into. baths of the proper color, or the colors'may be applied thereto or associated therewith in any other manner. The same method may be followed In applying this scheme of coloring to the so-called flux-coated electrodes. In associating the various distinguishing colors with the so-called coated electrodes it is preferred to add the coloring matter to the coating bath or solution into which the electrodes are dipped in coating the same with the necessary compounds which have been found in practice to greatly enhance and improve the welding operation. The coloring matter used in this connection may be either of a mineral or organic nature, pref erably mineral. While it is preferred to impart the distinguishing colors to the coated electrodes by adding the coloring matter directly to the coating solutions into which said electrodes are dipped, it is of course obvious that the coloring matter may be applied on the outside of the coating after the latter has been applied.

From the above it will be observed that by means of the coloring scheme above pointed out, or some similar method, a store-keeper or operator may know at a glance which particular electrode he should select in carrying out the particular weldingoperation in hand. For instance, he will know that an electrode having associated therewith a red color is an alloy manganese steel of special composition, and that the same is for use only for certain classes of work, as, for example, in the repairing of railroad switches or crossing frogs. He will also know, in the event he is working on a locomotive frame, for instance, that he should select or be supplied with a yellowelectrode. that the present scheme of identification may be employed in distinguishing between electrode coatings of various compositions, either as a separate scheme or as a part of the one above described, wherein various colors are employed to distinguish between the'metallic composition of the electrodes. This is desirable in that various compounds may be employed in coating electrodes, some ofwhich are better adapted for electrodes of a given composition than are other compounds, so that it is advisable to extend or amplify the coloring scheme, or other means of identification, to include an identification of the particular coating as well as of the particular composition of the metal itself. As will be obvious, deviations may be made from the scheme or method above sug-' gested without departing from the spirit It is also to be remarked of the present invention, and accordingly it is not desired to limit or restrict the same to the particular disclosure herein contained,

exce t as limited in the appended claims.

e claim 1. The method of preparing coated welding electrodes of different groups as regards metallic composition, which consists in imparting a distinguishing color to the coating of the electrodes of each of said groups, whereby said electrodes of one composition may be readily distinguished from those of another.

2. A welding electrode comprising a metal rod having a colored surface coating of silicate of soda, the coloring being indicative of the composition of said rod.

3. A welding electrode comprising a metal rod having associated therewith a distinguishing color indicative of the composition of said rod. 7

4. The method of preparing welding electrodes of different composition, which consists in associating with said electrodes distinguishing colors whereby those of one composition may be readily distinguished from those of another.

5. A welding electrode comprising acoated metal rod having associated therewith a distinguishing color which is indicative of the nature of said coating and of the composition of said rod.

6. A welding electrode, comprising acoated metal rod having associated therewith a distinguishing color which is indicative of the characteristics of said electrode.

In testimony whereof we have subscribed our names.

HARRY R. PENNINGTON. ERNEST WANA-MAKER. 

